# Kabocha Chickpea Miso Soup: A Cozy and Wholesome Recipe
Have you ever followed a restaurant on social media, found yourself salivating over their posts, only to realize you’re too far away to make a purchase? In that situation, the best answer is to find yourself in your own kitchen. And thus, this Kabocha Chickpea Miso Soup — inspired by Salud in Bend, Oregon — came to be.
It’s everything you desire in a soup: cozy, wholesome, broth-rich, loaded with that fun squash you picked up without a plan, and incredibly quick and simple to prepare! Just **1 pot**, **8 ingredients**, and **30 minutes** needed. Let’s whip up some soup!
## How to Prepare This Kabocha Chickpea Miso Soup
This EASY soup starts with a delicious base: onion and garlic sautéed in olive oil.
Following that, we mix in chickpeas, cubed kabocha squash, and a blend of vegetable broth and water. This mixture achieves a brothy texture while preventing the vegetable broth’s taste from overpowering the miso.
After simmering until the squash is barely tender, we toss in the kale and keep cooking for a few more minutes until it wilts. One of the things we love about **kabocha squash** is that it maintains a robust, delightful texture when cooked just to al dente! However, if kabocha squash isn’t available, acorn squash works just as well in this recipe.
The last ingredient: **miso paste**! We particularly enjoy using chickpea miso paste, which has a mild, adequately salty, subtly sweet taste. Additionally, it’s perfect for those avoiding soy. To maximize the benefits from this probiotic-packed ingredient (and to ensure a smooth texture — no lumps!), we mix the miso paste with a bit of water and add it at the cooking’s conclusion.
We believe you’re going to ADORATE this soup! It’s:
– Brothy
– Cozy
– Savory
– Light
– Wholesome
– INCREDIBLY quick + simple to prepare!
This is a soup we turn to on a chilly fall or winter day when we’re yearning for something straightforward and nourishing. It makes a fantastic **fiber-rich** side and can also serve as a light meal, especially if you add an extra can of chickpeas and enjoy it with bread or rice.
## More Easy Soups You’ll Enjoy
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo on Instagram.
### Recipe Information
**Prep Time:** 10 minutes
**Cook Time:** 20 minutes
**Total Time:** 30 minutes
**Servings:** 4 (~2 cup servings)
**Course:** Entrée or Side, Soup
**Cuisine:** Gluten-Free, Japanese-Inspired, Vegan
**Freezer Safe:** 1 month
**Storage Duration:** 3-4 Days
### Ingredients
– 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
– 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
– 4 large cloves garlic, minced
– 4 heaping cups kabocha squash, seeds removed, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
– 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained
– 2 cups vegetable broth
– 2 cups water
– 2 cups chopped kale
– 2 Tbsp chickpea miso paste
**FOR SERVING (optional):**
– Sesame seeds
### Directions
1. Warm a large pot over medium heat. Once heated, add olive oil and onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic — about 30-60 seconds.
2. Incorporate kabocha squash, chickpeas, vegetable broth, and water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When boiling, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the kabocha squash is just tender when pierced with a fork. Then fold in the kale and cook for an additional 5 minutes to soften. Remove from the heat.
3. In a small bowl, mix the miso paste with 2-3 tablespoons of warm water and stir/whisk until dissolved. Add the miso mixture to the soup and stir to combine. Taste and adjust as necessary, adding more miso paste for depth/saltiness.
4. The texture of the squash is optimal when freshly made, but leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1 month or longer.
### Nutrition Information (per serving)
– **Calories:** 210
– **Carbohydrates:** 35.5 g
– **Protein:** 7.2 g
– **Fat:** 5.4 g
– **Sodium:** 719 mg